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Thank you for your interest in contributing to our conversation about Privileged Logics.

We welcome pieces that explore themes such as:

Descriptions of activities you have tried at your organization to improve research access and quality
Innovations in ethical research practices and the role of privilege in shaping institutional research norms
Insights on building and facilitating learning communities to lead institutional challenges
Discussions on current limitations of research metrics and proposals for more inclusive and quality-driven alternatives to evaluate research
Practical applications or personal experiences of supporting positive research cultures
Ideas for RCR training that foregrounds privilege as a factor impacting research quality
And other topics relevant to this discussion

Submissions should be properly referenced and provide relevant background material so readers can assess the cogency and structure of arguments.

We are open to a variety of contributions, such as research-based essays, working papers, reflective pieces, commentary on current events, in a variety of formats, including videos and presentations.

If you are interested in contributing, please send an email to ethicscenter@wmich.edu to discuss more about our editorial process or your ideas for new material.

How Current Scientific Cultures and Metrics Reproduce Privilege

At the Privileged Logics 2024 conference, there was broad agreement that metrics currently used are unfair and reproduce privilege. Reasons include adherence to a competitive scientific culture, perceptions that these metrics are objective, their usefulness in appealing to outsiders for engagement and recruitment, and inertia and/or mistaken notions of rigor from those who have been at the institution for a long time and don’t want to change the way things are done. Examples of metrics that have affected outcomes for individuals due to privilege included: The demand for novelty and transformation (although there can also be an anti-innovation bias denying merit to delivery modes such as podcasts as well as to core expanding substantive areas and a focus on community impact) over replication and incremental gains Statistical significance as a measure for worthwhile research Tenure as a status attached to financial stability Grades as measures of learning and achievement Differential tre...

Privileged Logics 2024 Conference: Highlights from a Research Ethics Workshop

At the Privileged Logics 2024 Conference, various participants shared what was being done at their institutions regarding research ethics. Training ranged from nothing and bare minimum CITI modules focused on compliance for those with federally funded grants, to monthly town halls and resources provided across campus. Some included weekly face-to-face trainings to supplement CITI required courses for all researchers, whether or not they are federally funded. The most comprehensive program resulted from disciplinary action by a federal granting agency. Examples of research ethics topics most directly related to privilege included sexual harassment and Indigenous student mentoring. But there was wide agreement that the orientation to understanding and addressing privilege was largely absent from most institutional training. A narrow focus on research integrity ignores the social benefits of research and equity and generally leads to rather superficial topics and a focus on com...

Introducing the Privileged Logics Blog

Welcome to the Privileged Logics Blog! Purpose of the Blog: Welcome to the Privileged Logics blog! Our blog serves as a platform for continued conversations surrounding privilege in STEM research and research ethics training . Our goal is to foster a community where researchers, educators, administrators, and stakeholders can come together to share resources, ideas, and insights on promoting equity and inclusion in STEM fields and in research ethics training. About Privileged Logics 2024: Privileged Logics 2024 was a one-day conference held on February 25, 2024, funded by the National Science Foundation (Award Number 2316197). The conference examined the foundations of privilege in STEM research and research ethics, explored promising practices, and inspired participants to redefine research quality, ethics, and opportunity in STEM fields. Privilege is a complex system of power that can manifest in various aspects of STEM research, from biases in peer review to dispa...

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